August 29, 2008

8:26: I don't know what it says about me, but I got up this morning and didn't think about the McCain VP announcement on my own. It wasn't until I turned on the TV news that the subject occurred to me. On the day Obama announced his pick, it was the second or third thought in my head after waking. This could mean that in my heart of hearts, I really have decided on Obama. It could simply mean that I'm more interested in Obama.

My blogging over the months clearly shows much greater interest in him, and that could be for any number of reasons. Some people might say, I'm just monitoring him, looking for things to attack, but an easier explanation is that he is just more interesting. He's new and different. His ongoing battle with Hillary Clinton made him more interesting. And she obviously also made his VP selection far more interesting.

On TV, on Fox, they are saying what they know is that Romney, Huckabee, and Pawlenty are out. [CORRECTED TEXT: I'd written "is up" for some strange reason.] Ah so, it's going to be a woman. I'm hearing this for the first time at 8:37 Central Time. I will reveal that, instantly, a chill ran through my body when I heard that, and I have broken a sob or two as I write this.

8:37: The Fox reporters are talking a lot about Sarah Palin. Exciting. To continue my theme of why I've been less interested in the McCain VP announcement, it might be that I'm just drained from watching way too much Democratic convention TV or that the Obama announcement was more interesting because it was first. But it might very well be that the Obama campaign had a great idea with its text-message announcement and, in particular, having us go to bed at night knowing or almost knowing that it would come in the middle of the night. That made me think of it immediately on awakening because the thought was: Quick, look at the web, get the answer now. I thought the text-message approach was annoying and dorky, but I should probably concede that Obama got inside my head.

8:52: There's talk about a jet leaving Fairbanks, Alaska late last night, and a woman in her 40s getting on board. Now, here's Charles Krauthammer saying that McCain should pick someone "as bland as possible." He refers to Palin as "a rookie out of Alaska" and says it might make sense to do something like this if he was seriously trailing in the polls and needed "a hail Mary." Krauthammer's idea of bland: Pawlenty would have been best. Second best: Romney. Or even Fred Thompson.

8:52: I haven't heard any talk from these Fox guys about the importance of jazzing up the Hillary devotees. I wasn't a Hillary devotee, as you know, but I am in the demographic group that locked onto her emotionally. Can you understand how we feel about women? I remember when Bill Clinton announced his first Supreme Court nominee. Most or all of the talk had been about males. Bill dragged out the selection process, and finally the announcement came: Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I remember a conversation with my neighbor that day when I got home from work:

Neighbor: So what do you think of Clinton's Supreme Court pick?

Me: I'm so glad he picked a woman.

Neighbor: Really. You care about that?

Me: Yeah!

Neighbor: I mean, we already have a woman on the Court. It's not a first. At some point, it's not special to pick a woman. When will you not care about it anymore?

Me: When there are 5 women on the Court -- in proportion to the population. 5, not 4, because women are more than 50% of the population.

That was 15 years ago, and I was more radical then. But the feeling remains. It means something. I was resistant to Hillary (because I think she betrayed women by attacking women to support Bill), but I know the feeling of women my age wanting to see women get through to the top.

9:13: I was just checking Wikipedia to make sure I had the right year for the Ginsburg appointment. Scanning the article, I see that when she went to college (at Cornell), one of her professors was Vladimir Nabokov. Random new fact of the day.

9:21: I've switched to CNN, and at the bottom of the screen I see the words: "Sources point to Palin as McCain's running mate; CNN has not confirmed."

Three senior Republican sources said they had been told Palin was McCain's choice. But those accounts came amidst conflicting reports about whether Palin had arrived here on a chartered plane last night or was still in Alaska.

Republicans have never nominated a woman for their ticket, and Palin's scant experience would make her a surprise choice. She was elected governor two years ago, and before that was mayor of Wasilla (pop. 6,715).

Yikes. I Google for a list of the states in order of population and see that Alaska is the 4th smallest state by that measure. [AND: I was about to add that we think of Alaska as really big, but it's tiny by population. Only Wyoming, Vermont, and North Dakota are smaller. Biden's state -- I mean Delaware -- is bigger.]

CNN CONFIRMS!!!!

9:37: "MCCAIN PICKS SARAH PALIN." On the screen. Tears! Chills!!!!

9:42: On CNN now, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who keeps talking about how little we know about Palin, but is guessing that "she'll hold her own." There's some talk about how "we'll all be eating mooseburgers."

9:42: A key puzzle about Palin has to do with abortion. They're discussing this on CNN now. Palin is a woman and may excite the Hillary supporters. But if Hillary's supporters were big on the abortion issue, they shouldn't like Palin, who vividly embodies pro-life. But you know, even people who believe abortion should be legal (like me) can have immense respect for individuals like Palin who live their own lives according to pro-life values, who make their choice to continue their pregnancies. And those who care about the rights of the disabled -- like many liberals -- should have great respect for a woman who did not discard the fetus she knew would be born with a serious disability, as was the case with Palin.

9:53: The best attack of Palin is, of course, that she is inexperienced. It's a little hard for Obama people to say that, though, because their guy is inexperienced. Does that mean the best attack is silenced? No, it will transmogrify into an effort to catch her saying something that sounds inexperienced. I haven't heard her enough to have any idea whether she has the nerve and the mental capacity to sound right all the time. She's never been exposed like this before. So many people will be salivating at the chance to make her look bad.

10:16: Let's think about Palin in a debate with Joe Biden. How will that work? In the comments, Henry says:

[P]eople with almost not debating chops routinely "win" political debates.

Often these debates are "won" entirely on facial hair and body language. Palin could "win" a debate with Biden just by not looking like a warmed-over stiff.

Even if the debates were real debates, the fact that Palin is inexperienced politically has no bearing on her debating skills.

We know she'd cream Biden in 1 on 1 basketball. The debates have about the same relationship to political experience as that.

I was just reading that in the comments, and now, I notice it's the topic on CNN too. I flip over to Fox for a second, and there's a smiling Palin, in a light green t-shirt and eating a vanilla ice cream cone. Voice over: "People love her."

10:21: More from the comments. This is from Peter V. Bella:

Man, the leftist whackos and nutroots are going to come out of the woodwork like cockroaches. Pallin wears fur, she hunts and eats moose burgers, she is a life long member of the NRA, and the worst, the absolute worst crime -- her husband is a fisherman who works in the oil fields in the off-season. Yep, a regular working stiff. The kind of guy they hate and are jealous of. Not a lawyer or a fuzzy headed policy wonk; not a professor of basket weaving or Mayan Mysticism, not someone who lives off the teat of government grants; but a real, solid, hard core, working man. A guy who gets his hands dirty every day. The average Joe American.

What makes her even more odious is she actually worked with her husband on the fishing boats. She really, actually worked for a living. The Gospel chorus is lining up to rage and rant; “my God, how can he pick someone like that? Working people, why, they, they, they, know too much about real life!”

PETA, the anti-gun nuts, ELF, KOS, MYDD, Huffingglue and probably a host of others will be gnashing their teeth, pounding their drums, shaking their chubby little fists and green tamborines, and going into full, foaming at the mouth, rabid attack mode. They are going to have heartastrokes over this.

10:35: On CNN, they're reading messages off their website, including the statement that McCain "is trying to out-minority Barack Obama." Earth to nameless CNN website commenter: Women are not a minority.

Alaska! With Hawaii represented by Barack Obama, it would be cool to give the other latecomer state some respect at this time. It's always troubled me that Hawaii's been so far off and disconnected from the rest of the United States, and it's good that there's another disconnected state to keep it company. (You know when I was a kid in the 1950s, I heard discussion of Alaska becoming a state, and when someone said "I hear Hawaii is coming in too," I thought the islands were somehow floating over and would connect to the west coast.) Alaska's important too: oil-related. We're going to be talking about gas prices, and having the governor of Alaska will resonate.

10:39: We're over 200 comments, so switch the commenting to the new Palin post, here. And I'll carry on there too.

227 comments:

For what it's worth, I still think it will be Romney or Pawlenty. As someone who wants McCain to win, I am very encouraged by the politics of this. All of this feinting and dodging has been great politics. Instead of cable news talking 24 hours straight about Obama and his speech, they are using 15-20 minutes out of every hour speculating and talking about McCain's VP choice. That McCain's campaign has been able to orchestrate that so effectively is very impressive, and, as I said, encouraging to me.

“My blogging over the months clearly shows much greater interest in him…”

He is interesting because he was on track to and actually made history. He is the first serious Black candidate to run for POTUS; and actually succeed in getting nominated.

Whether one likes Obama or not, whether you are a lefty or a righty, or even whether he wins or loses, the historical moment cannot be ignored. He made history. Barak Obama is now a legitimate historical figure.

What makes all of this more interesting is the emotional aspect. How do we separate the historical from the substantive? Why will people really vote for him? Will they vote because of the historical moment or will they vote because he is a person of substance?

The McCain camp seems better able to keep a secret than Obama's. Biden leekd 12 hours earlier than the 3AM deadline.

I like adminstrations that can keep important things secret. I know that will enrage some commenters, but I like:- the discipline it implies- the fact that the hundred aides who know are more loyal to the boss than they are to the idea that some CNN babe will owe them a favor

The press don't have the right to be the sole arbiters of the National Interest when it comes to keeping our most important activities secret from our enemies.

I have already said many times that I have decided not to vote for McCain or anyone else for President this year......with the exception that if it is Palin on the ticket...I will vote.

It would be a very smart move on the McCain side. He would pick up the disengaged conservatives in the Republican party, the disaffected Hillary voters and the pro-life and pro-gun voters. All wrapped up in Sarah Palin.

Palin is really a brilliant choice, if she is indeed the choice. She can't be attacked for inexperience, because McCain can simply turn it around on Obama for being even less experienced than Palin. McCain can say that, as VP for at least 4 years and possibly 8, that Palin will get a wealth of experience and will be ready to become THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT at the end of that time.

Hear that screaming? It's Hillary, realizing that she'll never become president now.

Oh, and as for Biden eating Palin for lunch? The VP debate is usually forgotten in hours, and will be more than offset by the amusing display of Barack Obama trying to debate McCain without a TelePrompTer to tell him what to say.

I'm with Ann, a little drained from watching all this. Too bad it's Friday, as I think if McCain could have given it another 24 hours, he would have allowed the Dem convention emotions to drain a little, and the anticipation of his announcement to build a little.

Oh how delicious it will be to watch the media seek to constantly talk about Palin's "inexperience"!

The MSM will undoubtedly play the childish "well, so are you" game of infants.

Quote from theWashington Post, 10 minutes ago: Republicans have never nominated a woman for their ticket, and Palin's scant experience would make her a surprise choice. She was elected governor two years ago, and before that was mayor of Wasilla (pop. 6,715).

Gee, when I looked Obama and experience in the Post since Jan 1, 2007, the only news article comments about HIS inexperience was always a quote from someone else. It wasn't the view of the news article author like

Gee. That's surprising.

The Main Stream Media has their dicks and dildoes in their hands for Obama's immediate service needs. And that wet pussy frangrance coming over the internet. . .Ann?

True patriot said..."Two years as governor of a remote state with a small population -- now THERE is the experience that qualifies someone to become President! Biden will wipe the floor with her in a debate."

So you're saying that someone with two years more experience than the Democratic nominee the Democratic veep nominee combined doesn't have the experience needed? Really? What does that say about the Democratic ticket, then, with the 0 years, 0 months, 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds in executive office that they have between them?

Sarge, it wasn't a leak that did the Biden announcement in. It was the hundreds of reporters camped out in front of his house reporting that the Secret Service had shown up. But your suggestion that an Obama administration would leak info to Bin Laden is duly noted.

How about Carly Fiorina. She would be the most anti-Biden pick, anti-establishment pick there could be. She is the true feminist - more than Oprah (entertainment) or Hillary (wife of President) could ever dream of - a self made woman in a man's world.

If it's Palin, McCain can kiss the experience argument goodbye and it'll look like he's throwing a desperate hail mary pass. However, sometimes hail mary passes win the game, so it might actually work. We'll see how this all plays out. I still want to see Lieberman get the nod, so Joementum can face Joementum.

I think if McCain could have given it another 24 hours, he would have allowed the Dem convention emotions to drain a little, and the anticipation of his announcement to build a little.

No no. He needs to step all over the tepid pick of Biden with an exciting and galvanizing pick (Palin please). Who cares about the Dems emotions. McCain is trying to appeal to the Republicans, Independents and Hillary die hards.

Host, that WaPo story you link to is astonishing. Can you imagine them running the same thing with only minor alterations to describe the other side? "Democrats have never nominated a black man for their ticket, and Obama's scant experience would make him a surprise choice. He was elected U.S. Senator four years ago, and before that was a state Senator for the Illinois 13th District (pop. 217,840)."

I think the McCain VP choice is probably less significant than the Obama choice, largely because McCain has been a major player in government for some time now -- we know him about as well as we can know anyonw -- and his VP choice is unlikely to shift our impression of him. In addition to which, McCain is notable for his hardheadedness and obstinacy, and a VP's counsel is unlikely to affect him much.

With Obama, on the other hand, we still don't know him at all, just a media-manufactured image. His pick of Biden tells us something -- what exactly I don't know -- about him. In addition, his vacillation on issues like free trade and telecom immunity suggest pretty strongly that a VP will be influential -- Obama may not seem to pay attention to his advisors much, but he folds pretty quickly under public pressure, which a VP would be well positioned to excite through leaks and so forth.

So I'm kind of anticipating McCain's VP announcement. If it's Huckabee I'll let up a groan of despair. But I don't think it matters in the same way Obama's does.

I disagree. McCain can say that on his ticket, the veep is the understudy, while on Obama's ticket, the understudy has stumbled onto the stage. If anything, picking Palin just goes to underscore the experience argument.

"Hillary Rodham Clinton was treated unfair and the most disrespectful way in American history by her own party, DNC members, Barrack and MichelleObama and the MSM!THIS OUR TIME!PATBACK TIME HAS JUST ARRIVEDNO YOU CAN'TWITHOUT H I L L A R Y!

Palin would be an especially good pick if McCain wants to make energy front and center of his campaign. Energy is the Democrats biggest weakness right now since they are opposed to oil and gas drilling.

Isn't common knowledge about who will win a debate almost always wrong. Have you forgotten perceived dummies Bush and Quayle beat the tar out of the genius Gore. Inexperienced Clinton took Bush, Sr. to the cleaners (while bush checked his watch). Moribund Cheney kicked everyone's ass he ever came across. Reagan swept the floor against Carter but the was "all confused" against Mondale.

The last time I remember the perceived winner actually winning was Lloyd Benson and that was based solely on his one (prewritten) "you are no John Kennedy" line.

Ann, perhaps a follow-up question: was the assumption that a female Justice would be a liberal justice? At the time, would you have been happy to have five conservative women on the Supreme Court? What was your ordering of priorities at the time?

Are you honestly saying that "a rookie from Alaska" rookie from Chicago has the experience and qualifications to be President? Or are you willing to overlook that little problem because she is a woman. he is a black

Let me say this, also: if the pick isn't Palin now, McCain's created a PR disaster, because the suggestion and rejection of it will look like flipping the bird to precisely the sort of disaffected Hillary supporters that picking Palin could attract.

She has more experience than Obama. And.... people are going to be interested in her. Very interested. She is an exotic figure. They will want to hear what she says and who she is. They will find out what Alaska is all about. They will find out she is an expert in oil and gas. This from wiki: "She hunts, eats moose burgers, ice fishes, rides snowmobiles, and owns a float plane. Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association.

She will be an excellent pick.

Oh and I can't wait for the Obama campaign to argue that she doesn't have enough experience. Through that they will prove that Obama is really only qualified to be VP.

"Are you honestly saying that "a rookie from Alaska" has the experience and qualifications to be President? "

I'll withhold judgment on Palin as I know little about her.

However, a liberal making this argument should realize that no matter what her level of experience is, it still trumps that of a community organizer, state senator, and less-than-one-term Senator who has spent most of his tenure not being a Senator but being a Presidential candidate.

Palin or no, it's almost impossible for anyone to win a debate with anyone these days.

As El Presidente noted, people with almost not debating chops routinely "win" political debates. Often these debates are "won" entirely on facial hair and body language. Palin could "win" a debate with Biden just by not looking like a warmed-over stiff.

Even if the debates were real debates, the fact that Palin is inexperienced politically has no bearing on her debating skills.

We know she'd cream Biden in 1 on 1 basketball. The debates have about the same relationship to political experience as that.

McCain has certainly managed to step on the train of Obama's big moment. I saw Obama's acceptance speech last night. It was a fine moment for Obama and for America. I suppose that like biblical epics the production values of acceptance speeches cannot be overdone. Although I am wary of Obama's appetite for grandeur, it was an Important Moment with all the trappings. But. what with all this talk of Pallin, the afterglow has been effectively squelched.....After all is said and done, the two big life achievements of Obama are the presidency of the Harvard Law Review and proving himself more popular than Hillary in some states. He has many good qualities but that is the extent of his achievements. Maybe Pallin will have more pixie dust than he.

-Sure she's a rookie - but a rookie executive, not a rookie legislator.

-Doesn't it make more sense to have the understudy be a rookie? If Dems criticize her lack of experience, we can point out that the Dem ticket is upside-down experience wise.

-She can hold her own rhetorically, but if Biden tries to seriously bully her in the debate (and he is a natual bully), the Reupubs will pick up a huge number of Hill's Angels, plus southern male Dems who don't like to see women bullied.

-I lover her positions on oil, government reform, guns and the economy. I only disagree on her anti-abortion absolutism, but that really won't matter with a Dem Congress.

DBQ said - No no. He needs to step all over the tepid pick of Biden with an exciting and galvanizing pick (Palin please). Who cares about the Dems emotions.

Biden was old news within 12 hours after announcement. If Palin is the pick, it is a natural she would be a draw to disaffected Hillary supporters. However, those people are traveling today or are sleeping off their hangovers. As I said, if McCain could have given it another day, he probably should have.

Pallin? Man, the leftist whackos and nutroots are going to come out of the woodwork like cockroaches. Pallin wears fur, she hunts and eats moose burgers, she is a life long member of the NRA, and the worst, the absolute worst crime- her husband is a fisherman who works in the oil fields in the off-season. Yep, a regular working stiff. The kind of guy they hate and are jealous of. Not a lawyer or a fuzzy headed policy wonk; not a professor of basket weaving or Mayan Mysticism, not someone who lives off the teat of government grants; but a real, solid, hard core, working man. A guy who gets his hands dirty every day. The average Joe American.

What makes her even more odious is she actually worked with her husband on the fishing boats. She really, actually worked for a living. The Gospel chorus is lining up to rage and rant; “my God, how can he pick someone like that? Working people, why, they, they, they, know too much about real life!”

PETA, the anti-gun nuts, ELF, KOS, MYDD, Huffingglue and probably a host of others will be gnashing their teeth, pounding their drums, shaking their chubby little fists and green tamborines, and going into full, foaming at the mouth, rabid attack mode. They are going to have heartastrokes over this.

Palin has what, 4 or 5 kids? Some of them very young. Let's say McCain craps out in the middle of his first term. Leaving aside her inexperience, can a mother of young children give anywhere near the kind of attention required to be an effective president?

Palin is a courageous choice ... Mother of Downs syndrome baby (despite knowing during the pregnancy), pursued Republican corruption, younger than Obama, Son in Army on way to Iraq.

But: She has no national campaign experience.

Truly a maverick choice.

Also, I cannot believe Obama said this last night: "That's the promise of America, the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation, the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper."

That echo chamber telling you what a wonderful pick Palin is may or may not be overwhelmed by the reality that it's going to kill McCain's numbers at least in the short term. It makes no sense to focus the nation's attention on Alaska's politics.

-Small-Nasty-Benefits from high oil prices-Corrupt

These are the things Palin will be tainted with no matter how much she did or did not reform the system.

I cant think of a better pick than sarah palin to motivate the conservative base. because of what she did with her most recent child, she will be viewed as near godlike by religious conservatives (and deserving of it). This will truly energize the conservative base more than they have been energize before.

Ok, let's say that former Hillary women supporters flock to McCain/Palin because they now have an excuse to vote for a woman on the ticket. And the polls show McCain/Palin gaining by a large margin. How long before Obama says: "Joe Biden isn't the man I once knew."

Yes!!! Another historical moment. A real, qualified woman to be chosen. She knows what it is like to work, she has executive experience, and she can relate to working people, especially working women. It is about time we had someone with real life experience instead of some policy wonk.

Unlike than that other woman; the phony. You remember, the one with no experience? The one who never really worked for a living? Married some Southern fella that did well? What was her name?

Good point dcpi - He meant "brutha", not, you know, actual brother. And from friends who have been to Nairobi, I think a dollar a month is not big money, even there. A dollar a day - now that's different.

And, just to clear this up, it is "Down syndrome", but that is frequently misspelled, as the words run together when spoken.

Well, Ann, a tear went down my cheek when I heard the news that it is Susan Plain for VP. I'm 69 years old and I wished, more than anything, that a woman would be elected president before I die. This is a step in the right direction. When I was a young man I hired in as a laborer in a paper factory. Right across from me, on the line, were two women that had worked there for years. I was shocked when I learned that I was paid more money than them for the same work. I only worked there for a few months (got out as soon as I found another job) but the injustice of paying women less than men for the same work has stayed with me all my life.

Elliott said... That echo chamber telling you what a wonderful pick Palin is may or may not be overwhelmed by the reality that it's going to kill McCain's numbers at least in the short term. It makes no sense to focus the nation's attention on Alaska's politics.

Alaska politics? Man, Alaska is virginally honest compared to where Obama came from and how he got there. Obama better hope he does not get smeared with the brush of totally corrupt Illinois and Chicago politics. They made him. He is part and parcel of the corrupt machine- whether he likes it or not.

ABC anchor, Gibson, introduces her as Gov for just over a year. How discounting. Stephanopolus, to his credit says 2 years. I agree it isn't much of a difference, but it is in the fine details that the spin begins. "Bold personal pick" says Stephanopolus.

Gibson questions whether she is ready to be president and brings up her sister's scandal. Did he bring up Biden's plagarism scandals when Biden was announced? Gibson's noting that she had 5 children hinted, just barely and by intonation, at "What's a mother of young children doing working outside the home?" He brings up the downs syndrome child.

This is one of the boldest moves McCain could make. McCain saw something in Palin he liked. She's also probably been vetted six ways from Sunday, so I wouldn't put much stock in the "troopergate" thing.

McCain is thinking strategically, and he's thrown the long ball. Good for him.

She opposes same-sex marriage, but she has stated that she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination....

... Palin's first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to gay state employees and their partners. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska's attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.

Imagine that -- her concern was actually constitutional! Rare for a politician these days. I (heart) Palin.

Fiorina was the quintessential Affirmative Action candidate. She got out of Lucent just before it crashed and burned -- like your flight captain discreetly putting on a parachute and bailing out. Her tenure at Hewlett-Packard focused on her celebrity -- not one but TWO Gulfstreams for her use, a personal publicist, rubbing elbows with "other world leaders" at the World Economics Forum in Davos, Switzerland -- rather than performance, as her unrealistic forecasts missed time after time, cratering the stock price.

After five years the BoD had had enough and booted her out. Under Hurd's leadership revenues, profits, and the stock price have recovered to pre-Carly levels of performance.

Several days ago I commented on Althouse that this would probably be the only time in the last 40 years that I have been eligible to vote that I would be sitting it out. Unless McCain picked Palin. Now, not only will I be voting, but for the first time in this election I am EXCITED! WOO HOO!

Interestingly enough, the MSM seems to have ignored Palin up to now, despite the fact that the blogosphere and conservative press have talked her up for months. In fact, it seems they ignored the possibility of any minority (not that women are actual "minorities") candidate.

It's like they assumed no matter what was coming out of the Conservative press, McCain's a Republican, so he's got to pick an old, white dude. Seems they got caught up in their own stereotyping.

Several days ago I commented on Althouse that this would probably be the only time in the last 40 years that I have been eligible to vote that I would be sitting it out. Unless McCain picked Palin. Now, not only will I be voting, but for the first time in this election I am EXCITED! WOO HOO!

Yes, she lives her pro-life values. But nonetheless, she wants abortion illegal. Merely acknowledging that abortion kills a living human being, acknowledging its life sanctity is not diminished by rape or incest, the bottom line is she, the GOP, and all of its pundits intend to make abortion illegal. And every action they take via appointments, legislation, or punditry is to make that happen.

I am so not interested in politics. In my opinion, all politicians are the same. I do not understand how people get all contentious about it like it's the super bowl or something. I've glanced at all the election coverage with a big "ho hum" most of the time. But this? I am so excited - she's a hockey mom like me! I always disagreed with identity politics, but I am embarrassed to admit that this excites me! And, for the record, I am embarrassed to admit that I was excited about Hillary, too and would have voted for her (for president OR VP). I guess I'm just another demographic *sigh*

Great pic--she has pictures of her holding fish, and probably hunting real big game with a real rifle! NRA member; mom of 5. This is change, not the warmed over other three Senators on the ticket. This cements the conservative base including the conservative democrats--she will play well with the blue dog dems. Her pick should set up the republicans to flush out the old farts and create a new republican image. As someone said above: Palin Jindal--thats change.

It'll be interesting to see how she performs as attack dog. She and Obama seem like they would be pretty decent friends if they hung out. I guess she could call him out on experience, but I think she'll be more of a visual attack on Obama -- hunting in Appalachia, talking about firearms. I can already see her in hunting gear with the yellow safety glasses on shooting at clay targets with a bunch of dudes who voted Hillary! in the primaries in the background.

Also, how solid do we think the Hillary voters are in their 48 hour old pledges to vote Obama?

I can now give my daughter an icon to emulate. A person who worked hard, graduated from college, played by the rules, and may become the first woman VPOTUS and may be in line as the first woman POTUS. Kids need examples that hard work and playing by the rules pays off.

Normally VP picks don't matter, even if they are bad. But McCain is old and people will pay more attention.

She's not very bright. But then again, neither is McCain or Bush, so I doubt that will matter. But I don't see him picking up any of the Hillary supporters because of this. Should nail down the Pat Buchanan and wingnut wing though.

Almost as game-changing as when Senator Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, a quarter-century ago.

mayor of Wasilla (pop. 6,715)

Palin became mayor the same year Obama became state senator. The difference is that Obama represented 30 times as many people.

A couple of nitpicks:

Palin holds a lifetime membership with the National Rifle Association.

I suspect this is a Life membership, which can be acquired at any time. Presidential candidate GHW Bush bought one to appeal to the GOP base, only to quit a short time later after the NRA did something he didn't like.

just to clear this up, it is "Down syndrome"

What happened to the apostrophe-s? I grew up calling it "Down's syndrome" (Once people stopped calling them Mongoloids.) People still say "Hodgkin's disease," right? Dr. Down was first to describe the syndrome; thus it is his syndrome.

Hey -- McCain just picked one of those Bible-and-gun clingers. Except that America is going to see that people who value religion, independence and self-reliance aren't bitter, but are the kind of people most Americans relate to.

I think conservative Democrats are going to connect a lot more easily to a woman who hunts for her dinner than to a guy whose economic concern is the price of arugula.

garage mahal said..."Simon[,] Congratulations. I believe that was your pick from the get go. I know nothing about her other than I want to go fishing with her."

Thanks, man - and I'm betting that there's quite a large number of guys seeing her for the first time today who'd certainly like to be alone on a boat with her. That's the beauty of this pick, it works on so many levels!

Based on the reactions here, this is a game-changer. (Is McCain a poker player?)

If you take a glance at the big picture, I think it could be the start of bringing in the next generation of leaders. Voters should begin to look at our Senate & House and grab a broom to sweep out the many old codgers.

Wow, judging by the reaction of the MSM and the dems, this looks like a great choice. They sound like wounded pigs. CNN/MSNBC reduced to reporting only dem talking pointgs. They have been caught totally off guard.

Host with the Most said..."John Roberts is asking John King how the woman with only 2 years of executive experience can match up against the fabulously experienced foreign policy expert Joe Biden in a debate."

The experience dog just isn't going to hunt. As I said above, Palin has spent two years as governor of Alaska; that's two years more experience than McCain, Obama and Biden have between them.

And she's a woman. Downtownlad hates women. Have you ever heard him even mention a woman, other than when he claimed to be leading a girl on just so he could crush her and screw up her life?

This is going to be fun. Claims of sexism for every critique of Sarah Palin, from the same people who set up the straw horse that Democrats called every criticism of Obama racism. The picks not even an hour old and already "principled" conservatives are jumping on the sexism and victimization card. The irony is wonderful.